"Five years ago, I was lost.... 

Cancer had taken my sister and partner, and I didn’t recognize the person staring back at me in the mirror. In late 2020, I reached out to an old weightlifting friend I hadn’t seen in years—Karen McCoy. 

We’d lost touch as families and life took us on different paths, but I always valued her insight. When I tracked her down, she was just launching a program called the 16-week Mastery Lifestyle Program for 40+ women. As they say, the rest is history.

I stayed with Karen’s coaching program for almost two years, and she didn’t just remind me of who I once was—she helped me discover who I wanted to become. What started as a focus on physical health quickly revealed something deeper: the mental and emotional work mattered even more. The physical transformation followed naturally.

Five years later, even after a serious injury that could have derailed everything, I haven’t just stayed the course—I’ve excelled. I’ve lost the 20+ pounds I gained, I’ve committed to working out and most importantly, my mindset has shifted from simply “staying positive” to truly embracing life—the good, the bad, and everything in between. I lean in. I learn. I grow.

Karen’s program became the foundation for everything I do now - meditation, Wim Hof breathing, cold plunges, living by conscious design. I learned to stop isolating myself and hiding my feelings and to build genuine friendships and connections. This has helped me realign my life with my values. 

Looking back at the journal I kept during those two years, I see the wisdom that changed everything: “What you resist, persists and grows.” “Anger is not powerful, it’s a way of hiding.” “Lean in and move forward.” “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

She taught me to surrender to life’s flow, to be vulnerable with what I want, and to trust that no matter what life puts us through—and yes, some of it is pretty shitty—we can be open and thankful we get another day. Most times what we think is terrible is just because things don’t go the way we wanted. Maybe there’s another way, a better plan, and we just haven’t gotten there yet. She shifted my thinking from “have to” to “get to.”

Life isn’t perfect, but I’m flourishing in ways I never imagined possible. Since 2023 I built a new life in Vancouver while staying deeply connected to my family, old friends and a group of new friends I value. I’m living, working, giving back, and creating a world that reflects who I truly am.

Karen—it might sound extreme, but the reality is: you saved me. I’m so glad I kept that journal. To see how far I’ve come since 2020 is astounding - it was painful at times but I’m so thankful! Your impact reaches far beyond those two years. Thank you for seeing me when I couldn’t see myself, and for giving me the groundwork that changed everything"

Lisa Michelle, Vancouver BC, Jan 2026.

PS Book a free call with Karen and let's get you started on YOUR path to a fabulous body and life! www.warriorwomanfitness.com/apply